Business School - Manchester Metropolitan University

Business School & Student Hub - Manchester Metropolitan University

Professor John Brooks, Vice-Chancellor, Manchester Metropolitan University is quoted as saying about their new business school and student Hub that, “The new building makes a clear statement which defines the role and purpose of a new and forward looking University. It has environmental sustainability designed into its core and it places students at the centre of the knowledge ‘exchange’. The University is delighted with the building both in terms of the strong external statement which it makes and the internal simplicity with limited use of natural materials and colour palettes. The optical properties of the building, where light is refracted and reflected into bands of colour, projecting into and out from the building, has truly created the jewel in MMU’s crown.”

The architects of the new building, Feilden Clegg Bradley, say of it that, " The 20,000 sq metre building incorporates a new Faculty and as well as a cross-University facility for 5,000 students and 250 staff including student services, catering, social learning zones and IT drop-in spaces. The Business School atrium is a calm and visually cool space with bridges, balconies and platforms providing space for social interaction and the exchange of ideas with facilities comparable to the best in current workplace design.

The Hub or Exchange Atrium is seen as far more vibrant: a busy arcade characterised by the buzz of the catering facilities, colour, furniture and the traffic of people. This is a progressive low energy University building, incorporating thermal mass, natural daylight, controlled ventilation, a number of integrated energy generation features and ground coupled cooling."

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The Loxford Building of MMU once stood on this corner of Grosvenor Square. It was a brick built block of classrooms and residence standing 11 storeys high (see below).